Be familiar with factual details about the history of the Texas Constitution. How is the 1876 Constitution similar to and different from previous constitutions? What were the principle influences on the 1876 Constitution? How does the Texas Constitution limit governmental power? Be able to identify the subject matter of each of the articles of the Texas Constitution. How is the content of the Texas Bill of Rights similar to the content of the US Bill of Rights? What is the relationship between counties and the state? What are primary elections? How are they conducted in the state? What does it take to win primary elections in the state? How about general elections? Be familiar with basic facts about the Texas Legislature when it is session. What factors make the Texas Speaker and Lieutenant Governor powerful? Which executive offices are elected in the state? Which are appointed? How are people appointed to board and commissions? Why? How does one become a member of the State Board of Education and the Railroad Commission? What do these offices do? What is the Texas Ethics Commission? What does it do? What are cities? How are they different than state governments? What functions do cities serve? What are the basic ways that city governments are designed? What do city councils, mayors and city managers do? How are public schools (K-12 and higher ed) organized in the state? How are elections conducted in the state? What officials are in charge of what aspects of elections? How are the states affected by the US Constitution? What kinds of elections can be held statewide? Citywide? What are the pros and cons of an elected judiciary? What is a budget? Know basic facts about the Texas budget. What is the budgetary process? Which institutions are involved in it? Be familiar with the criminal justice system. What do sheriffs do? How are they distinct from police? Which county level officials are elected and which are appointed? What complaints did the early Texans have against the government of Mexico? What is the extent of suffrage in the state? How is Texas suffrage impacted by federal law? How is Texas’ political culture similar to and different than that of the rest of the US? What is the purpose of the separated powers? How are the powers of the Texas government kept separate? What is the nature of the design of the Texas executive branch? What is the nature of the design of the Texas judiciary? How have parties in the state evolved over time? Be familiar the steps the Texas Republican Party has taken as it has become dominant in the state. How urban is the state of Texas? What roles do counties play in elections? What does the Texas Constitution state about education policy in the state? Be able to describe key features of the Brazoria County government, and the local area as a whole. What does the Texas Constitution state about suffrage in the state? Be familiar with the bill making process in the state? Who can impact bills? How? What roles do committees play in the bill making process? What impact do parties have on the state legislature? What offices are and are not term limited in the state? What are the principle differences between community colleges and universities? How does the Voting Rights Act impact elections in Texas? What is an at-large and single member district? What are the principle differences between the two? How has gerrymandering affect Texas elections? What was the White Primary? What roles do state play in the federal system? How can state be influenced by the federal government to provide certain programs? How powerful is the Texas governor? What are the sources of the powers of the office? Be aware of key facts regarding amendments to the Texas Constitution.
Be familiar with factual details about the history of the Texas Constitution.
How is the 1876 Constitution similar to and different from previous constitutions?
What were the principle influences on the 1876 Constitution?
How does the Texas Constitution limit governmental power?
Be able to identify the subject matter of each of the articles of the Texas Constitution.
How is the content of the Texas Bill of Rights similar to the content of the US Bill of Rights?
What is the relationship between counties and the state?
What are primary elections? How are they conducted in the state?
What does it take to win primary elections in the state? How about general elections?
Be familiar with basic facts about the Texas Legislature when it is session.
What factors make the Texas Speaker and Lieutenant Governor powerful?
Which executive offices are elected in the state? Which are appointed?
How are people appointed to board and commissions? Why?
How does one become a member of the State Board of Education and the Railroad Commission?
What do these offices do?
What is the Texas Ethics Commission? What does it do?
What are cities? How are they different than state governments?
What functions do cities serve?
What are the basic ways that city governments are designed?
What do city councils, mayors and city managers do?
How are public schools (K-12 and higher ed) organized in the state?
How are elections conducted in the state? What officials are in charge of what aspects of elections?
How are the states affected by the US Constitution?
What kinds of elections can be held statewide? Citywide?
What are the pros and cons of an elected judiciary?
What is a budget? Know basic facts about the Texas budget.
What is the budgetary process? Which institutions are involved in it?
Be familiar with the criminal justice system.
What do sheriffs do? How are they distinct from police?
Which county level officials are elected and which are appointed?
What complaints did the early Texans have against the government of Mexico?
What is the extent of suffrage in the state? How is Texas suffrage impacted by federal law?
How is Texas’ political culture similar to and different than that of the rest of the US?
What is the purpose of the separated powers?
How are the powers of the Texas government kept separate?
What is the nature of the design of the Texas executive branch?
What is the nature of the design of the Texas judiciary?
How have parties in the state evolved over time?
Be familiar the steps the Texas Republican Party has taken as it has become dominant in the state.
How urban is the state of Texas?
What roles do counties play in elections?
What does the Texas Constitution state about education policy in the state?
Be able to describe key features of the Brazoria County government, and the local area as a whole.
What does the Texas Constitution state about suffrage in the state?
Be familiar with the bill making process in the state? Who can impact bills? How?
What roles do committees play in the bill making process?
What impact do parties have on the state legislature?
What offices are and are not term limited in the state?
What are the principle differences between community colleges and universities?
How does the Voting Rights Act impact elections in Texas?
What is an at-large and single member district? What are the principle differences between the two?
How has gerrymandering affect Texas elections?
What was the White Primary?
What roles do state play in the federal system?
How can state be influenced by the federal government to provide certain programs?
How powerful is the Texas governor? What are the sources of the powers of the office?
Be aware of key facts regarding amendments to the Texas Constitution.